Header Ground Clearance
 

I've searched this forum up and down and haven't found anything regarding ground clearance with headers. I found threads regarding clearance with a PS box.

I own a set of Hooker Super Competition 1 3/4" primary for my SB on my 68. Not only do I have rubbing issues with the PS box (may have to massage a dimple into the #3 tube from what I have read), but I also have ground clearance issues. I do have 2" lower springs in the front and mono springs in the rear. It doesn't matter what angle or speed I travel, they bottom out on EVERY speed bump.

Originally I purchased my car with Dynomax Super Comps (doesn't look like Dynomax makes headers anymore) installed and they actually touched the floor boards; no ground clearance issues there.

Any suggestions?

My only thought is to trade out my Hooker Super Comps for another pair of headers. I heard that Super Comps design tend to hang the lowest. The Hotchkis guys told me they have had good luck with Headman Headers sitting closer to the floor board?

I think because the Hookers are equal length tubes and the Headmans aren't is the fit difference

There was a thread about this issue some time ago on this site, read headman fit better...no real specifics though. I have the same issue w/ hooker, right side hang just a little lower than left. I clear most speed bumps w/no problem but I still have to alter my driving habits to some extent. I hope you find/post a solution we can all benefit from.

I'm running Hooker Headers as well and yes, they hit the power steering box and sit low.

With that, I'm running as set of polyurethane motor mounts that sit a little taller than stock motor mounts. Also, the Dart Heads I picked have raised ports, which means my headers mount a bit higher than on a stock head. I'm also running a custom set of springs that were dropped 2" in the front and rear of my 68.

What does this mean for me? It meant the collectors were hitting my floor boards and wouldn't fit until I took my torch and did a little persuading.

Even then, the headers would bottom out pretty easy with a 195/60/15 on the front and a 235/60/15 on the rear. I just put a set of 215/65/15's on the front last night (255/60/15 rear) and it raised the front of the car up considerably, so I don't think I'm going to have the problems that I had with the 195's.

The reason I'm bringing this up, is I'd like to know if either of you have a problem with the collectors hitting your floor boards. Which brings me to my next question. What is headman doing differently? Do they simply sit closer to the floor boards?

So you are bottoming out AND hitting floor boards?

I could only wish that my collectors were close to my floor boards. My collectors hang too low to the ground and far from my floor boards. I have stock motor mounts. If polyurethane motor mounts make the engine sit up slightly higher than maybe you and I should switch motor mounts :)

I love my headers and would like to figure out a solution to keep them. I think I am going to try stiffening up my fronts with new shocks and the rear with new shocks and convert my mono springs to multi.

Not sure what Headman is doing differently. I think it is just differences in manufacturer design. I heard the Hooker (non-Super Comps) sit close to the floor boards as well.

My old Dynomax Super Comps used to touch the floor boards, no speed bump issues there :)

Yes, I was bottoming out and to even get the headers to fit, I had to take a rose bud, heat the headers up cherry red and bend them just a bit so they'd fit. Now, I don't know much about headers, but at the time all the people I talked to (Speed shop) told me that I would need a custom set of headers built for about $1,200. I think that's why this thread is such an interest to me. (I'll find out if they were lying to me lol)

Anyway, I have only gotten to drive the car once into town and back for a total of about 30 miles and I bottomed out once on a bump in the road and yes, I went out of my way to avoid the rough rail road tracks. I did that with a set of 195/60/15's on the front which is a pretty short tire. I'm running 215/65/15's now which is about 2" taller which should make a difference.

I'll see if I can snap a picture and post it tomorrow, but yeah, they hang pretty low.

I'd be curious about that. It would seem then that maybe the Super Comp's are designed for motors like mine that are using taller motor mounts and raised port heads, where the other headers are designed for stock heads. Honestly, I don't know which headers I've got, and I've got them wrapped so I can't even tell by the tag. Maybe I'll go dig through my reciepts? But anyway, if that is the case, maybe you just need the other set of headers that don't accomodate for raised ports? Say, what heads are you running anyway?

correction: left side / driver's side hang lower. Edelbrock performer rpm alum heads, stock mounts. Taller mounts risk contact between msd distributor and the firewall. I'm using hooker competition / straight plug design, not super comp. I was told the straight plug design would clear the steering box...they clear mine by about 1/4", also heard certain steering box casings are larger than others to accommodate a larger gear? Choices: taller heads=$$$$, new headers=$$$$ or live w/ it=free.

Someone told me the Super Comps hang lower because they are equal length and for the BEST performance the design necessitated that they are longer/lower than their Comp Headers.

Just make sure you don't have ceramic coated headers, using wraps with the ceramic coating will void the warranty and cause the coating to discolor and flake.

I'm running the Edelbrock RPM Xtreme heads. Absolutely love them!

When my car was running I had Hookers with 2 1/8 primaries on a Big Block with power steering and air. I guess that's why the bottoms of them eventually were just FLAT, kinda like a D, complements of Speed Bumps. lol

found this thread this morning
best ground cleareance headers for a 67 camaro